Student Duped By Fake ICE Agents, Loses $5,000 In Scam

India-West News Desk

BLOOMINGTON, IN- An Indian student at Indiana University Bloomington lost $5,000 to a “digital arrest” scam last month after fraudsters posed as federal and local law enforcement officers.

On May 29, Shreya Bedi, who came to the U.S. on an F-1 visa in 2022, was contacted by scammers pretending to be agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They falsely accused her of immigration violations and warned she would be arrested and deported unless she complied with their demands.

“They told me I was under surveillance and couldn’t contact anyone,” Bedi told Newsweek. “I was absolutely terrified and crying the entire time.”

One impersonator even provided a name and badge number and directed her to verify ICE’s contact details on the official website. The phone number matched, adding to the scam’s credibility. Over the course of several hours, she was pressured into buying $5,000 worth of gift cards as a supposed bond payment. The call escalated when someone posing as an officer from the Olympia Police Department claimed she had an active arrest warrant.

“They kept me on the phone for three hours, warning me that disconnecting or alerting anyone would worsen my case,” she said. “I felt completely trapped.”

ICE condemned the impersonation, calling it both illegal and dangerous. “Imposters can be charged with various criminal offenses both at the state/local level, as well as federally under 18 USC 912,” an agency spokesperson said.

Officials continue to urge international students and visa holders to stay alert and verify any contact from authorities before taking action.